Thoughts on Xbox One & Tivo

I'm curious as to how the hdmi pass thru will function on the Xbox One as far as using the Tivo. The voice commands on the Xbox one seem pretty neat, but I love my Tivos. I really hope they will work seamlessly.

I'm curious as to how the hdmi pass thru will function on the Xbox One as far as using the Tivo. The voice commands on the Xbox one seem pretty neat, but I love my Tivos. I really hope they will work seamlessly.

Click to expand...

Its going to use an IR blaster with HDMI passthrough so we'll see how well that works.

It may be quick at switching modes, but the delay it will have on switching channels using IR blasters will be painful as Im not aware of any Comcast STBs that support HDMI CEC, maybe their new X1 platform does.

I am interested to see how the XBOX One guide, recording, DVR management all interfaces with cable co DVRs, not sure there is any way it can be a seamless solution when your relying on communication with a secondary box that are notorious for their poor software and lackluster performance. Seems it may end up in a Google TV type of situation where only one provider fully supports the integration potential, while all others are left with a hacky implementation that relies heavily on which direction the wind blows when the IR blaster fires its signals.

Even with network control there is no way it could control the full functionality of the TiVo so you'd still need to use the TiVo UI for most things. It might be able to change the channel on live TV and maybe schedule a one off recording, but that's about it. So basically you'd be using it as an A/V switch box.

It would be real nice if they made a TiVo app for the 360 like the iPad app. Presumably that app could also easily be ported to Windows 8 /rt. Unfortunately there just aren't enough TiVo's out there for Microsoft to build specific network controls. But if the platform were open enough so TiVo or others could build it could be pretty exciting.

I just don't see the point. Why view and control my TiVo via an Xbox when I can view and control my TiVo via the TiVo GUI? If the Xbox had a tuner and a CableCARD slot (or some other authorization/security mechanism) and could function as a DVR itself that would useful but this HDMI pass-thru just seems like stupid console tricks.

I just don't see the point. Why view and control my TiVo via an Xbox when I can view and control my TiVo via the TiVo GUI? If the Xbox had a tuner and a CableCARD slot (or some other authorization/security mechanism) and could function as a DVR itself that would useful but this HDMI pass-thru just seems like stupid console tricks.

Click to expand...

It certainly makes no sense to put a cable card slot in the XBOne. Cable cards are an extremely niche product for non cable company devices. And the only reason they are in a bunch of cable company boxes is because they were forced to use them.

It certainly makes no sense to put a cable card slot in the XBOne. Cable cards are an extremely niche product for non cable company devices. And the only reason they are in a bunch of cable company boxes is because they were forced to use them.

Click to expand...

I agree there is no reason for Microsoft to put a cable card slot into XBOne but there is also no reason Microsoft couldn't sell add on software for the XBOne that provides functionality equivalent to Windows Media Center and works with external (USB and/or Networked) third party cable card and OTA tuners.

Regarding the pass through HDMI abilities I understand that, it allows Microsoft to obtain viewing data, insert Microsoft services and provides an option for the people who seem to have problems with changing inputs to switch between devices.

I agree there is no reason for Microsoft to put a cable card slot into XBOne but there is also no reason Microsoft couldn't sell add on software for the XBOne that provides functionality equivalent to Windows Media Center and works with external (USB and/or Networked) third party cable card and OTA tuners.

Click to expand...

They said it has a away to run Windows so that might be possible. Not sure if there is much of a market for it though.

I just don't see the point. Why view and control my TiVo via an Xbox when I can view and control my TiVo via the TiVo GUI? If the Xbox had a tuner and a CableCARD slot (or some other authorization/security mechanism) and could function as a DVR itself that would useful but this HDMI pass-thru just seems like stupid console tricks.

Click to expand...

Well for starters "xbox: pause" and "xbox play" works really well in its current 360/kinect form...Xbox One looking to up the ante quite a bit with overaly control, vocie commands, gestures with any box, not just TiVo.

Simple one way commands like pause, play, fast forward etc work extremely well and are not 'Siri' like in any way. With siri you talk, she talks back, u talk again half the time. Slow, annoying, not cool at all...

On first blush I was thinking "Oh man, this will be great, when will they talk about DVR functionality" ... then I realized they don't have any tuner, or near big enough HDD for the xbox to be a DVR, so then I though "well maybe they'll talk about DVR integration" ... nope.

So then after the press conference I googled around. It is using an IR blaster as people have mentioned. Talk about half assed.

Why would I want an xbox UI over top of my tivo UI, use voice for some stuff, but not 90% of what we do in my house which is pre-recorded shows.

At this juncture I don't see the point of the TV functionality of the xbox. My harmony will just as easily switch inputs to a PS 4 or Xbox, or Steam Big Picture box or whatever just as easy as saying "xbox, tv".

Having worked with IR blasters in the past, talk about error prone.

I was disappointed to be frank. (does it show? lol) I would pay good money for a true all in one box for blu ray, streaming, gaming, and DVR/tuners.

that Verge article is wrong on a number of fronts. he's using his Google TV experience and basing his opinion on that experience (and don't forget, Patel was pushing Google TV hard to anyone that would listen to him since his Engadget days). He didn't give up on his Google TV until his readers kept deluging him with posts saying how crappy Google TV was.

the Kinect is acting as the IR blaster in this case. in case you can't use the HDMI connection. this isn't your tape-the-IR-blaster thing that you grew up on.

google cnet kinect ir blaster. that's a good article on the potential. yeah, it's potential but that's better than conjecture based on Google TV.